Saturday, August 3, 2013

The Mourning Hours by Paula Treick DeBoard

About:

A family's loyalty is put to the ultimate test in this haunting and unforgettable debut.

Kirsten Hammarstrom hasn't been home to her tiny corner of rural Wisconsin in years-not since the mysterious disappearance of a local teenage girl rocked the town and shattered her family. Kirsten was just nine years old when Stacy Lemke went missing, and the last person to see her alive was her boyfriend, Johnny-the high school wrestling star and Kirsten's older brother. No one knows what to believe-not even those closest to Johnny-but the event unhinges the quiet farming community and pins Kirsten's family beneath the crushing weight of suspicion. Now, years later, a new tragedy forces Kirsten and her siblings to return home, where they must confront the devastating event that shifted the trajectory of their lives. Tautly written and beautifully evocative, The Mourning Hours is a gripping portrayal of a family straining against extraordinary pressure, and a powerful tale of loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness.Thoughts:
Paula Treick DeBoard is one of the most talented authors on the market today. I could not put The Mourning Hours down; which is a big deal for me when I choose a novel over sleep. From the moment that I read the first sentence I was hooked and transported into Kirsten's world where her hero of an older brother is suspected in the disappearance of his bubbly, popular girlfriend.

I was unsure of how the book would transpire and with every turn of a page I needed to know more, more, more. The question that this book made me wonder is what would I do if my family was in the same situation as Kirsten's. Would I have faith that my son would be innocent? Or would I have even the slightest bit of doubt in his innocence?

If you are looking for a page-turning, cannot be put down book, look no further. Grab this book and lose sleep just as I did last week.

Paula Treick DeBoard lives with her husband Will and their four-legged brood in Modesto, CA. She received a BA in English from Dordt College, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine and a practical education from countless students in her English classes over the years. The Mourning Hours is her first novel.A huge thank you to NegGalley for the chance to read and review the above novel. All opinions expressed above are my own. I was provided with the ebook in order to read and facilitate my honest review. No other compensation was given.